Most Platte County employees -- except for elected officials -- are paid on a salaried rather than an hourly basis, a violation of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act.

The county personnel committee is working to comply with the law and pay non-supervisory Courthouse staff hourly wages. The committee consists of Platte County Supervisor Joe Tooley, chairman, and supervisors Jerry Micek and Tom Martens.

Information shared with elected officials and county department heads at an Oct. 28 meeting of the three-member committee left one elected official fearing the worst.

The official, who would only speak anonymously because of fear of reprisal, said the county could be looking at a potentially expensive class action law suit for its failure to comply with the law.

Platte Conty Clerk Diane Pinger, whose office processes the payroll, refused to speak about the October meeting or a committee meeting held Nov. 3. Pinger also refused to identify the United States Department of Labor representative who presented information during the committee’s October meeting.

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